Valve mechanism for turbines.



No. 841,224. .PATENTED JAN. 15, 1907.

LG. GALLAN. VALVE MEGHANISM FOR TURBINBS.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 5, 1904.

John G. aflan,

By y

UNITED STATES PATENT 4OEEIOE.I

JOH; e. CALLAN, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, AS'siGNOR To GENERALv ELECTRIC COMPANY. A CORPORATiON OE NEW YORK.

VALVEV MECHANISNI FOR ILlJFlBINES.

To' all whom, t may concern: l

Be itfknown that I, JOHN G. CALLAN, a

. citizen of the United States, residing at Lynn,

'maintaining a relation as to` pressure between stages in a multistage turbine, but

which may be positively controlled when the conditions of service become abnormal.-

The importance of maintaining a reasonably constant pressure on each stage will readily be seen when itis considered that in designing the machine the nozzles and bucket-.

spaces or'working passages are assumed to work at predetermined pressures, and any substantial change thei'el'romwill. obviously affect theeconomy.l

In carrying out the invention the turbineis dividedinto stages by suitable means, andin each stage is located one or more rows of wheel-buckets. provided, a row of intermediate buckets is situated between each two rows of wheelbuckets. Fluid is delivered to the first-stage wheel or wheels by one or more inlet-nozzles Oi" suitable construction. Each nozzle is preferably, although' not necessarily, coinposed of a` plurality of closelyassociated.

passages which may expand or not, as desired.

Fluid exhausting from one stage is collected in the wheel-chamber or in a separate chamber and discharged into the next by nozzles of Suitable construction The nozzles of the several stages may be, and usually are, of similar construction, those of the lower-pressure stages, however, having a greater area in cross-section. in permanent communication with the sucseeding wheel-chamber, while one or more of the balance are under the control ofa valve or' valves which are normally automatic in their action and are responsive to pressure changes, but which may be manually .or oth- .erwise positively controlled orl actuatedwhen desired. Those nozzles or nozzle-sections which are valve-controlled are supplied Specication of Letters Patent. Application led Ang-ust 5,1904. Serial No. 219.586.

Where two or more rows are A part of the nozzles maybe.

i Patented Jan. 15,1907.

with fluid. from a chamber that may with advantage be formed in a ,cover-plate that is preferably secured to the same support asthe nozzle or-nozzles.l On the plate `or supported vvthereby 'are seats forthe. valves,l and the means for actuating the-valves are controllable from the outside of 'the Whole casing.L

The valves are normally operated automatically by devices responsive to. huid-pressure` changes, such as diaphragms -or e uivalent means, and, under a normal conditionsl by hand or power driven wheels .which render said automatic feature inoperative'. y A separate device maybe, and preferably is, em-

ployed to adjust the means, such as a spring or weight, which 4opposesthe action ofthe valve-actuating devices. I prefer to use diaphragrns because they do not: require to be packed, are simple in construction, reliable in operation, and are sensitive to small.

changes in pressure. The valves are so constructed and arranged that one or all may be held iii the open orclosed position for abnormal conditions, or one valve may'operate au'.

tomatically while the other or others are held open or closed. The valves may be slightly unbalanced, which-- causes them. to have a tendency at all times to close. The more nearly the valves are balanced the less will be the work required ofthe devicesfor actuating them. A'

In orderv to prevent undue shock when the l valves o crate, a dash-potis. provided for each. e valves are normally set to. operate successively under. different pressures by changing the tension on the spring or varying the4 weight, and the-number of nozzles or nozzle-passages controlled by each valve may be and In 'the accom anying drawings, `which -llustrate'one em odiment of in invention,

Figure 1 is a. vertical. longitudine. -section of a jet-turbine. Fig. 2 .is a partial cross-section and-f'Fig. 5 shows a pluralit of separatelyactuated valves for control ing vthe .admis- -sion of motive fluid t'o the turbine.

1 representsthe casing of thelturbine,

preferably is greaterfin one case than the other or others.

which is divided into compartments by 'onel of t ese chambers are employed. Chamber or v*more "partitions or 4diaphragme 2. y The one'shown is in` thefnature of a' box with a chamber lbetween Aits-walls. The head of the'vmachine lis provided with a flange 3 to which is Vbolted a sectionalized nozzlel, each section ,of said nozzle being rovided with-'a well-rounded bowl and a' 'ra uallyedivergin passage which receives from'the bow and dischargesit at the proper angle against the whee'lfbuckets. -Located inthe whee1.

compartment adjacent'jto thegnozzle'is a through. .the port( 8 intoj'the cham er. 9,

formed between the diaphragme. IThe second-stagewheel 1() is .similar 1n construction 4to theiirststage wheel', except that the bucket spaces or passa es arejusually la gier, and intermediate bue ets K11 are provi ed which extend partially wholly around the wheel, as v desired." The wheels may be mounted on the same or on a different shaft.. A

' The steam orl other elastic duid exhausted from the' second wheel passes through they port 12 and is discharged into a condenser or into' the atmosphere, as is desired.

.f to nozzle Bolted to. the diap'lhragm or partition which separates the u; eel-compartments is a nozzle 13, which is similar in construction 4 the only difference being that the bowls -and T4, containing one or more chambers 15,l

whichlv convey motive iluid to' the second# lsta e` nozzle. In the present' instance two 15 'sup lies -uid to two nozzle-sections,

while c amber 16 supplies fluid to'three nozzle-sections, but vthis arrangement can be modified. j

The upper surface of the valve 'plate or cover is provided with as man v`screwthreaded'iopenings .as there are va ves, and mounted therein aire valve-seats ,17. In the present illustration each valve is provided -with a double seat, one being' located above theother. The valve '18 is slightly unbal-` ancedand is arranged to make contact with the upper and lower seats.

It is vguided in its movements at the lower end by a projection 19, -that' is carried by the valve-seat.

To the upper end of the valve is attached a valve-s`tem 20,- Vwhich is screw-threaded at its lower end to receive' thepiston-like head 2l;

compression-spring 27.

31; which Apermit tha-nut to rotate,

passages are made somewhat larger to accommodate the lincreased volume' o motive fluid. Bolted or -otherwise at'-l der 3,3, it opens aerea;

'that `engages with the-upper side of the da;

22 Mounted on ,the 'stem and, situl l Phmm ated slow the'wlalve is a head 23,'-having'a curved upper surface hich engages with'the diaphragm. The object c f this heads to.

4distribute,the strain over the diaphragm, thereby`-reducing the liabilityior` rupture. Surrounding thepistori 21 and clamping the diaphragm in place is a casing 24,'conta1ning a certain amount of Huid., such as 01l. or Water, whichacts to 'prevent unduejshocks to the valve 'atthe time it operates. f. n'

i The Cylindll guiding-Wall ofthel piston 4' is perforated atene or morepoints25, which permits the fluid to' be transferred fromone side of the piston-heady into the chamberA formed thereinwhen the diaphragm moves the valve. Surrounding the valve-stem and f resting on-the hub of the piston is a 'collar 26,

which forms a seat for t ev lower end of the he'fu per.l end of the spring engages' With'an adlustable nut 28, that is'threa'ded to a cylindrical wallon v the casing 24. '-.The forces exerted by the spring and'. the diaphragm Iare so Irelated to Aeach otherr that a predetermined change, in

9 will cause the pressure in the chamber valve to `open'or close."-By adjusting the parts-any desired re'lation.ca;l 1` be'maintaine'd.

--Surrounding the valve-stem andpassing throu hlthe nutis a' screw-threaded sleeve 29. urrounding the sleevejand threaded thereon is a nut 30"whichis attached toa Wheel that is moved by hander power: The

groove, and enteringV the groove vare-lingers vent it from moving longitudinally.

lower end of the nut is provided with a n IO but prelow'the sleeve is a collar 32, which when the sleeve is moved downward acts as an abutv`menttherefor and permits thepositive clos-.

ing ofthe valve irrespective oi the pressure in kthe chamber 9. The upper end of the valve- `stem is provided with a shoulder or abut-I ment 33, against which the `sleeve,strikes when.v raised ,by the rotation of the hand.

wheel. When the sleeve engages the'shoulmatter in a diferent way, alost-mtion con-l open and close under the action of the dia phragm and spring. From' this it'wi'll be `seen that the valve can operate automatically erbe closed by the hand-wheel irrespective of the pressure on the diaphragm', or it can be opened as desired.

f The specific action of each `valve is as fol- 'v lows: Tending tp open the valve is' the iirst- 1ro i the valve irrespectivev of the pressure onl the diaphragm. Tp ,state the stage shellpr.essure multiplieby kthe dia# l phragm area and a constant, (since the diafphragm does not move upwardbodily,) lus the second-stage shell-pressure multiplie by the dierence in area of the tvvovalve-seats. y

Tendin to close the valve is the' fdiierence-in -area o the valve-seats multiplied by' thev firststage shell-pressure, plusl the springpressu're, thisy condition existing when-the valve is shut.' When the valve is open, there is tending to hold it in this position the lfirst stage shell -pressure times the diaphragm- Y 'area tunes a constant: .Tendingte close itis( the somewhat augmented spring pressure', Obviously then since the .unbalanced valvearea disa pears When'the valve is open the valve Wi stay iny this position on a firststage shell-pressure considerably less than that which will cause it toppen,- and this difference canbewmaxdesmall orlar e, as desired.v It should, however, be. su cient in amount so that the drop inthe shell or wheel compartment pressuredue. to the opening of the new nozzles. will not be sufficient to cause the valve to close.

Fluid is admitted :to the turbine by separately-actuated' valves'in response to move- .ments of a' suitable governor-Jas, forexam le, arly-ball governed. I niayan'd prefera ly do employ diaphragm-actuated valves for controlling the admission of iiuid to the turbine.

' In Fig. 5 is shown a plurality oik separatelyactuated valves for varying i motive fluid admitted to the first wheel ofthe the amount of turbine. The same type of, valve may be employed between any two stages' in addition -to the pressure-actuated valves',` if desired. A

l34 represents the valve which is attached lto an operating device or stem 35. The

valves are controlled b a device responsive to speed changes, and t is control may be direct or indirect, as through the intervention ,of motors, valves, magnets, &c.

36 represents the valve-chest, and 37 the passages in the nozzle. Opening and closing these valves causes a change in pressure in the chamber 9, and a change 'in the latter 4causes the'valves 18 to o en and close.

In accordance with t e provisions of the patent statutes I have described the rinciple of operation of my invention toget er With the apparatus which I now consider to represent the best Iembodiment thereof; but I. y desire to have it understood that theappa-v ratus shown is only illustrative and that the invention can be carried out by other, means. What I claim vas new, and desire to secure -by Letters Patent of theUnited States, is-

,1. An elastic-fluid turbine comprising a casing, means. for dividing it into compartments, and wheels located in compartments,

in combination with a valve automaticallyresponding to pressure changes'l'ocated ina compartment situated betweenthe Wheels.

.1.- l, l l `I 2. An elastic-fluid turbine l comprising al casing containing Wheels located in compartdischarges, and' a valve automatically respending' to pressurechanges located in the to a Wheel.

casing containinor Wheels located in compart-A ments, in combination' with a. chamber formed-within the'casing and between the compartments whichis in open communication with one of the latter to receive the eX- vber for controlling the passage of motive Huid from. the chamber to another com artment, automatic means forA operating and a dash-'pot for the valve.

' 4. An elastic-fluid turbine comprising a casing containing Wheels located in compartcated Within the casing communicating with a compartment to receive the exhaust therefrom, an automatic valve controlling the passage of illuid through the chamber, vand positively operated means for holding said autotively movable elements and' a casing-therefor, in combination with avalve, a` fluid-acvalve, and a device foractuating the 4valve independently of said motor, which includes a lost-motion connection. 8. An elastic-fluid turbine comprising relatively movable'elernents and a casing therefor, in combination with a plurality of suc- Whichwcontrol the passage of iiuid from one eleme'n'tto the other, and a dash-pot for each valve for checking the movements thereof.

nation of a casing divided into stages, a valve between stages, a fluid-actuated motor for moving the valve, which responds to changes inpressure of one of the stages, and a means located outside of the turbine-casing by haust therefrom, a valve located in the chamt e valve,

5. An elastic-fluid turbine comprising rela- 7. An elastic-fluid tur ine comprising relay Y tuated motor for automatically operating the 9. I'n an elastic-iiuid turbine, the combiments, in combination with a chamber'between said-compartments, into which awheel .7o lchamber for controlling the pas sage of fluid 3. An elastic-duid turbine comprising a y I ments, in combination with a chamber lomatic valve in either a closed Aor open'posicessively-operating valves within thecasing means of which the valve can be opened or closed.

10. In an elastic-huid turbine, the combination of a casing which is divided intostages, nozzles which receive r'iiuid from one stage and discharge itmto another, a covering 'for the nozzles, a'valve controlling theA passage of fluid through the nozzles, andra seat Jr'or the valve, which is supported by the covering.

11. In an elastic-iiuid turbine,` the combination or" a casingwhich is divided into stages, nozzles which receive fluid romone stage and discharge it into another, a covering for the .l

nozzles, which is divided into compartments,

' and a valve for each compartment.

12. In an elastic-fluid turbine, the combi- I nation oi a casing, which is dividedinto stages,

nozzles which receive iiuid from one stage and discharge it into another, a covering for the nozzles, which is divided into compartments, -a valve for each compartment, and a seat for each valve, which is carried by the covering. f

13..In an elastic-fluid' turbine, the' combination of a casing, 'a wall dividing the casingA into compartments, a nozzle su ported by the wall, a valve, a seat for the va ve removably A. supported by the wall, and means for operatvses ing the valve.

14; In an elastic-fluid turbine, the combinationof a casing, a wall for dividing the casing into stages or compartments, a valve Jfor controlling the passage f fluid between compartments, a stem for the valve, la sleeve A around the stem, the sleeve andstem beingI l'capable of longitudinal movement, stops on partments, a diaphragm for actuating the -valve in response to changes in stage-pres- 45, `r tively, and means located outside of the cassure, a stem for actuating the valve posiing for moving the stem. K

16. In an elasticiluid turbine, the combination-of a casing, a wall for dividing the casing into stages or compartments, a balanced valve located Within. the ycasing and between the compartments, a motor for actuating the valve in response to changes in pressure of the motive Huid, a ,spring which urges the valve in one direction, a dash-pot for the.

valve, a means for positively actuating the ,'valve, and a lost-motion connection between ythe valve and said means.

17. ln an elastic-Huid turbine, the combif' nation of" a casing, partitions or'walls for .dividing the casing into stages, a valve for varying the admission' of motive fluid. to the turbine, and diaphragm-actuated valves con- ',to the covere ltrolled by stage-pressure for varying the -panssage oi iiuid from one stage to another.

18. In an elastic-fluid turbine, the"v combinationof a casing, which is divided into stages, f n

a plurality of separately-actuated valvesfor lvarying the admission of motive iluid to the turbine,` and independent Idiaphragm-actuated valves for controlling the passageof `iiuid between one stage and the next which are actuated by stage-pressure.

19. In an elastic-fluid turbine, 4the combi-l l i nation of a casing, Walls which divide the casing into Wheel-compartments and form Va chamber intermediate the latter, nozzles which dischargevfromthe chamber to one ofl the compartments, certain ofthe nozzles bef" ing permanently open, and a valve orv valves controlling the remaining nozzles. 20. In an elastic-fluid turbine, the combination of a sectionalihed nozzle,certain of whose ldischarge-passagcs are adaptedto deliver motive iiuld. continuously,fed ported cover for the remaining passage or passages',

and a valve for controlling the admission of motive fluid tothe covered passage or passages.

nation ofi a sectionalized nozzle, certain of 21. In an elastic-fluid turbine, the combiwhose dischargeassages are kadapted to deliver motive iiui contlnuously, a portedand partitioned covering jr'or'tliel remaining lassages ofthe nozzle, and a phnality-of va ves for controllin the admissionof motive ii 'd passa es.

22. In an elasticuid turbine, the combination of agroup `of closely-associated yfluiddischarging passages,a cover arran ed over certain of the passages at the inlet en s thereof, means for dividingthe'cover into compartments, and a valveior'e'ach compartment controlling the adnriseioizi of Huid.'

thereto.

23. In an elastic-finid-t` bine, the combination of a sectionalized n zzle comprising a group of closely-'associated iiuid-dischargmg. passages, a support to which the nozzle is removably secured, a ported cover for 'certain of. the Huid-discharging vpassages which' islre- IOO .I icl',

movably Asecured to the nozzle `lv'andfavalve for controlling thev supply 'of mp'tive' t0 the covered passages. y

24. 'In an-elastic-luldy turbine', -,the comblna'tion @of stage-compartments, a bucketwheel in each Astage-compammenda,f a chamber which receives theexhaust from a Wheel and preventsl it from reacting thereon, devices whichf'receive fluid from the chamber and discharge it to a wheel at a lower pressure, auxiliary nozzles,a`nd a stage'-valve4 which .controls the passage of fluid from the chamber to the auxiliary nozzles. N y 25. In an elastic-fluid turbine, theucombination of two or more stages, a bucket-Wheel in each stege-compertment,aJ chamber which l Huid from the saidV ch mbertothe euldliary receives the exhaust froma Wheel and renozzles. 1o

vents it from .reacting thereon, devices W -ch In Witness whereof I- have hereunto set niy receive fluid from the-chamber and' discharge hand this 19th day of Jul ,'1904.

it to a wheel' of lower pressure, auxlliary nozv J O N G. CALLAN. 'zles,'and a. plurality of valves which are re- Witnesses:

-spon'siveto variations in stageressure and DUGALD MCK. MCKILLOP,

operate successively to control t epassage ofA HENRY O. WESTENDARP. 

